2023 Master's in Communication Programs in Florida (Campus, Online) (2024)

There are 12 colleges and universities throughout Florida that offer a total of 21 master’s in communication programs. Of these 21 programs, 17 are campus-based or hybrid programs, while four are online master’s in communication programs. Many of these programs allow students to focus in a particular area of communication or communication studies; examples of specializations include global communication, strategic communication, political communication, health communication, public relations and marketing communication, and technical communication.

All programs listed on this page are offered by non-profit institutions that have been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Campus-Based Master’s in Communication Programs in Florida

Students can find master’s in communication programs offered by schools throughout Florida. Students residing in large cities such as Jacksonville, Tampa/ St. Petersburg, Miami, and Orlando have can attend campus-based programs with a variety of specialization options. In addition, there are schools based in smaller cities along the Florida Gold Coast as well as further west such as Pensacola and Tallahassee that have graduate degree programs in communication.

Master’s in Communication Programs in Coastal Florida

The eastern coast of Florida houses numerous schools that offer master’s in communication programs. Florida Atlantic University’s School of Communication & Multimedia Studies, located in Boca Raton, has a Master of Arts in Communication Studies that emphasizes the intersections of cultural studies, film, intercultural communication, rhetoric, and media. Students work with advisors to develop a course of study that is tailored to their interests while still meeting the core requirements of the program. The core curriculum of this program focuses on communication theory and methodologies, after which students take electives in areas such as cultural analysis, intercultural communication, film history and criticism, journalism and news media, mass media, public opinion, feminist theory, and rhetoric and democracy.

Florida Institute of Technology’s School of Arts and Communication, located in Melbourne, offers a Master of Science in Global Strategic Communication that trains students in communication principles and strategies that are broadly applicable to a variety of work settings and industries, from journalism to marketing and public relations. Students in this program focus on writing research papers, managerial documents, scientific and technical content, and other professional documents. Students have the option of completing either a research-based master’s thesis or a practical design project focusing on an area of interest within the field of communication. Students can also pursue a specialization in technical communication by taking courses in Covering Science and Technology, Technical Editing, and Proposal Writing.

Florida International University’s (FIU) Department of Communication, located in Miami, has a Master of Science in Mass Communication with a focus in Global Strategic Communications. Within this focus, students can take tracks in either Management or Creative. Core classes in this program cover topics in global strategic communication management, theories of mass communication, communication ethics, and research methods. After they complete the core curriculum, students of the Management track can choose electives in subjects such as integrated marketing, creative strategies for public relations, digital media management, and media planning. Students of the Creative track take classes at the FIU north campus as well as FIU’s Miami Ad School, and focus on creative advertising strategy, art, and copywriting.

Lynn University’s College of Communication and Design in Boca Raton offers a Master of Science in Communication and Media with specializations in Media Studies and Practice, Digital Media, and Strategic Communication. This program includes courses in media history, law and technology, the impact of media on culture and vice versa, multimedia editing, and communication theories and principles. Students of this program also have the option of completing a three-week experiential learning course that allows them to complete practical projects in real professional settings through workshops and internships. While no capstone project is required for this program, students of the Digital Media specialization must complete a digital portfolio.

The University of Miami’s School of Communication offers a Master of Arts in Communication Studies that has four tracks: Communication Studies, Health Communication, Intercultural Communication, and Organizational Communication. Regardless of their selected track, students must complete the same core curriculum that covers communication theory, communication research, and qualitative research methods. After completing the core curriculum, students select electives that match their selected specialization, which can include courses such as gender issues in communication and leadership, intercultural communication, culture and health, organizational communication, conflict management, health communication, and risk communication. The School of Communication also offers a program in strategic communication that is a Master of Arts in Public Relations.

Master’s in Communication Programs in Tampa Bay

The University of Tampa offers a Master of Arts in Professional Communication through its College of Arts and Letters. This multidisciplinary program brings together students from diverse backgrounds to discuss and collaborate in classes that cover marketing, advertising, and public relations; corporate and organizational communication; human resources and employee development; non-profit and governmental communication; and mass media management. Students take core courses in media research and data analytics, strategic leadership and presentations, global communication, strategic organizational communication, and conflict mediation. For their electives, students have the option to explore areas such as digital communication tactics, communication ethics and law, communication in popular culture, emerging communication technologies, and contemporary issues in communication. All classes in the program are taught in the evening to accommodate working professionals. The course sequence culminates in a flexible and student-centric capstone project, through which each student researches a topic of personal and/or professional interest and develops a research paper or thesis, a professional project, or an artistic artifact that demonstrates what they have learned in the program.

The University of South Florida’s (USF) College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Communication, located in Tampa, offers a Master of Arts in Communication with core classes in the history and core theories of communication and critical methods in communication. After completing the core curriculum, students choose from electives in such areas as health communication, interpersonal communication, cultural studies, organizational communication, and communication and community dynamics.

In addition, USF’s Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications offers a Master of Arts in Mass Communication with concentration options in Media Studies and Strategic Communication Management. The core curriculum for this program includes classes in mass communication theory, quantitative and qualitative research methods in mass communication, and a seminar in mass communication. Students in the Media Studies track take classes in subjects such as media criticism, sports media, gender and communication, media and public opinion, and visual communication. Students in the Strategic Communication Management track take classes in strategic communication campaigns and management, message design, strategic communication research, and courses in leadership and organizational dynamics.

Master’s in Communication Programs in Central Florida

The University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media in Orlando offers a Master of Arts in Communication program that includes training in areas such as Health Communication, Strategic Communication, Public Relations, Social Media, Intercultural Communication, and Interpersonal Communication. All students take core classes in communication research, modern communication theory, and either qualitative or quantitative research methods. Once these are complete, students can select from a wide range of elective courses, such as Advertising and Society, Interpersonal Support in the Workplace, Persuasion in Media, Communication Campaigns, Visual Communication Theory, New Media, Social Media as Mass Communication, and Communication and Public Relations in Politics and Government.

The University of Florida’s (UF) College of Journalism and Communications, located in Gainesville, has two campus-based master’s in communication programs. UF’s Master of Arts in Mass Communication Pro Master’s Track allows students to develop their own individualized curriculum across three focus areas: Data Research (e.g. data analytics, media planning, web research methodology, and social media analytics) Creative (e.g. web design principles, magazine writing, creative advertising, and health writing), and Management (e.g. communication leadership, communication law, public relations, and brand management). Core classes in the program cover applied communication theory, digital storytelling, community and technology, and data creation and analysis.

UF’s College of Journalism and Communications also offers a Research and Theory Master of Arts in Mass Communication program with a Customizable Track and optional concentrations in Public Relations (PR), and Science/Health Communication. Each of these tracks has different core and elective coursework that is tailored to the student’s concentration. The Customizable Track emphasizes core classes in mass communication research, academic writing, and the intersection of communication, technology, and society. This track enables students to choose courses according to their interests journalism, advertising, media production and management, media technology, mass communication law, and global and intercultural communication. The Public Relations track has core classes in professional responsibility, PR research, and PR management, while the electives include classes in special topics within PR, PR and fundraising and philanthropic efforts, and global public relations. On the other hand, the Science/Health Communication track includes core classes in public policy, science and health communication, and mass communication, after which students can select electives in public relations, public relations and crisis management, audience analysis, and mass communication.

Master’s in Communication Programs in North Florida and the Panhandle

Florida State University’s (FSU) School of Communication, located in Tallahassee, offers four different master’s in communication programs. FIU’s Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication program prepares students for careers at the intersection of public relations, advertising, marketing, communication technology, and applied research. This program features optional concentrations or course clusters in Intercultural & Multicultural Marketing Communication and Strategic Communication; students can also craft their own concentration based on their choice of electives. The core curriculum of this program covers topics such as consumer behavior, account planning and management, communication research and statistics, and the foundations of integrated marketing strategy. Students can take electives in multicultural marketing, digital communication, and organizational communication theory.

FSU’s Master’s in Media Communication Studies with Optional Concentrations in Media Technology, Political Communication, and Media Research prepares students to analyze how communication impacts society and vice versa, and to apply this knowledge to roles in research, communication strategy, and media production. The program has core classes in communication theory and research methods, and rhetorical theory and criticism, after which students can take electives in mass communication theory, interpersonal communication, gender and communication, and media and culture.

FSU’s Master’s in Public Interest Media and Communication gives students the skills and knowledge to work in government agencies, social service and political campaign organizations, and non-profit associations not in the government space. Students take core classes in digital media production, social media campaigning, visual communication, communication research, critical methods, political communication, and media and culture.

Finally, FSU offers a Master’s in Corporate and Public Communication at its Panama City Campus. This program requires students to complete classes that cover such concepts as communication theory, advanced concepts in integrated marketing, mass communication, and persuasive writing, as well as communication assessment, marketing communication management, and group leadership.

The University of North Florida’s (UNF) School of Communication, located in Jacksonville, offers a Master of Science in Communication Management that prepares students for both communication and business management roles in corporate, non-profit, government, and other organizational settings. The program’s curriculum emphasizes communication management and principles of leadership in the field of communication. Within the degree program, students have five concentrations for students to choose from: Business, Public Health, Leadership, Non-profit Management, and Public Management.

Students in this program first complete core courses in the fundamentals of communication management, strategic communication theory, and quantitative and qualitative research methods in the area of communication. After the core coursework, students select electives that fit their desired concentration. For example, students of the Business concentration take classes in entrepreneurship and venture capital, marketing strategies, data-driven decision-making, management practices, and organizational theory, while individuals who elect to take the Public Management concentration complete courses in government budgets and financing, human resource principles for non-profit organizations, and public administration. During the latter half of their program, students complete either a master’s thesis concerning a topic in communication management, or a communication-related applied research project.

The University of West Florida’s Department of Communication, located in Pensacola, offers a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication & Leadership that provides students with a curriculum that focuses on collaborative communication and leadership, data-driven communication strategy, and organizational dynamics. Students can choose from electives in areas such as political communication, issues in media and public affairs, and non-profit organizational communication. This program also features an optional certificate in Health Communication Leadership; students who wish to pursue this certificate must take select electives that cover health communication strategies, fundraising communication, crisis communication, and interviewing and information gathering. All students must complete a capstone project as their final graduation requirement, wherein students complete an advanced research project for a corporation or organization.

Online Master’s in Communication Programs in Florida

Currently four in-state universities in Florida offer online master’s in communication programs for students. Online programs maybe ideal for students who do not live near a campus-based program and do not want to relocate for graduate school. They are also an option for students who cannot commute to campus on a regular basis due to either personal or professional reasons.

Florida International University offers an Online Master of Science in Mass Communication with a focus in Global Strategic Communications, which provides students with the same classes and research opportunities as FIU’s campus-based MS in Mass Communication program. However, this program only allows students to pursue a concentration in Global Strategic Communications, without the options to specialize in either a Management or Creative track.

Lynn University’s College of Communication and Design offers an Online Master of Science in Communication and Media with specializations in Media Studies and Practice, Digital Media, and Strategic Communication. This program is equivalent in course content and curricular structure to their on-campus Master of Science in Communication and Media program. Students also have the flexibility to mix on-campus and online coursework to fit their schedules.

The University of Central Florida offers an Online Master of Arts in English with a Technical Communication Track. This program features core courses in technical writing and editing, technical communication publication and production, bibliographic methods and research, and either a class in public debate rhetoric or the rhetoric of science. Elective options for this program include courses in persuasive rhetoric, visual technical communication, international technical communication, proposal writing, writing and designing online help systems, technical communication project management, and interactive design. For their culminating experience, students can choose between a thesis, an applied professional project, or an advanced, 6000-level technical communication course. All students must also pass a written comprehensive exam that covers essential technical communication concepts and practices from the core courses.

The University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications offers an Online Master of Arts in Mass Communication with specializations in Audience Analytics, Digital Strategy, Global Strategic Communication, Political Communication, Public Interest Communication, Public Relations, Social Media, and Web Design. This program is distinct from the University of Florida’s on-campus Master of Arts in Mass Communication in that it has different specialization options. Each specialization has different core curricula and electives that match students’ selected focus. For example, the Audience Analytics specialization has classes in digital research methods, storytelling through data visualization, audience analysis, consumer behavior, and data mining, while the Global Strategic Communication concentration focuses on courses in global activism and social change, creative storytelling, decision analysis for leadership, technology for business advancement and transformation, and public affairs communication.

Directory of Master’s in Communication Programs in Florida